Another year has gone. The world is still at war. We are looking at uncertainty within and outside of our country. So in short, nothing has changed since last year. But we are still here, there is still hope, there is still resistance to the evil that walks this earth. As long as there are good people who will stand up for the values that Christmas represents there is still possibility.
Wishing you all a Happy Christmas!
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As of 01 January 2025, the national "Debt Limit" will be reimposed on the federal government. It's been 'suspended' for a couple of years now.
As of 03 January 2025, Mike Johnson's term as Speaker of the House expires, and there's no plan that I know of for either getting him replaced or reëlected to the post.
As of 06 January 2025, the House is scheduled to 'certify' the election of Donald Trump to be President; his term to start on 20 January 2025. But that won't happen unless there's a House Speaker seated to serve as Master of Ceremonies.
And Janet Yellen says the federal government will run entirely out of money somewhere around that same 20 January date.
The comparative peace and political quiet we've enjoyed these past few weeks may be about to end.
Happy New Year!
Enjoy!
Yes, indeed. Buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride. Cracks are already showing in MAGA. And His Orangeness and his Rasputin haven't even taken office yet.
Trump has today endorsed Mike Johnson for Speaker of the House (by post on his own social network).
A federal appeals court has upheld the ruling in the sexual abuse case against Trump involving E. Jean Carrol. It sounds like Trump will appeal. So will this go up to the Supreme Court?
If it weren't so horrible for the country sitting back and watching the clown show that is Trump would be kind of amusing. But unfortunately there is too much at stake.
Everybody seems to be holding their breath…
Tomorrow's the big day.
And even Trump is being uncharacteristically quiet.
Can Trump pull him over the finish line?
Is Mike Johnson gonna get another term as Speaker of the House?
Meanwhile there were two attacks yesterday. The one in New Orleans looks like classic ISIS radicalization of someone who was experiencing life issues.
The one in Las Vegas? Not so much. They chose a time where few people where around. They used a Tesla cybertruck to deliver the bomb and they placed it outside a Trump hotel. That one looks like someone is sending a message specifically to Musk and Trump. So possibly a domestic motivation. It could be someone on the far left or far right. There are those in MAGA who are angry about the alliance between Trump and Musk, especially after the H1B visa issue cropped up.
"Can Trump pull [Mike Johnson] over the finish line?"
Yes, indeed Trump can do that. ↑↑
Well, I finally finished reading "Prequel" by Rachel Maddow.
It makes me wonder how this country has remained democratic at all. Of course with Trump in office, we have backslid quite a bit.
I suppose I'd assumed Trump would ultimately be turned back like his predecessors. (Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the fact that some of them were taken out by assassination and refigured the odds with that in mind.)
I certainly failed to figure in the power of the internet, where any crackpot or partisan activist with commitment can produce what looks like a real news site. Now the crazies can both find and reinforce each other and evade reality in groups at a time.
Well, yes, Huey Long was removed with a bullet. The fascists in the 30's were sent back under their rock when the Pearl Harbor attack happened and the country stood up to fight. Nobody had any stomach for Nazi sympathizers after that.
Back then they used the mail, and the franking system for Congressional Representatives who sympathized, to get their message out. Now it is the internet.
Even after Long was assassinated his corrupt system lived on. It took the bravery of John Rogge and the backing of the DOJ to take it apart.
Now? Not so sure what the future holds.
Meanwhile, back in Ukraine, it appears that the Ukrainians have become rather good at jamming Russian drones and glide bombs. Slava Ukraini!
"Back then they used the mail, and the franking system…"
Which means they had to pre-identify you as someone of like mind. Otherwise they'd send out to people who'd be alarmed rather than recruited. (It's no accident that Sean Hannity and his ilk make different pitches on Radio-Right-Wing than they do on FoxNews, and they say things on FoxNews they never intent to be heard on the 'mainstream media'.) Or, they'd send out to people who'd just dump the reading material, wasting their perhaps limited resources.
By creating websites and YouTube "channels" they allow the recruitable masses to find them. Saves them much time and money at the opening phase of their campaign when time and money are difficult commodities to scratch up.
The Founding Fathers stressed the importance of an informed electorate.
Today's fascists and neo-Nazis now have the means of creating a misinformed electorate.
'Tis possible the Republic will not survive the challenge. The risk is upon us.
"Ukrainians have become rather good at jamming Russian
drones and glide bombs."
Perhaps they'll be able to replicate that talent against the Russians' Oreshnik ballistic (a/k/a hypersonic) missiles.
But they're still struggling to fill their battlefield manpower needs. Heróyam sláva!
Trump, who, on Monday, endorsed a "one bill" reconciliation plan for his neo-Nazi regenesis of 2021, has yesterday recanted his call on that Trumpkan/Republican intramural fight and is still "open to either way", i.e. one massive bill (Mike Johnson's preferred method), or separate bills (John Thune's preferred method).
So, nobody knows which way he's going to go in the end. And they're now stuck following a wandering leader.
Gonna be an interesting show what with the Trumpkan/Republicans in Congress trying to follow and appease a randomly wandering "leader" the rest of the year.
Lol! Trump Is looking old. Not surprised that he can't stay on message. I have to really wonder if he will last 4 years.
That's not to day I look forward to Vance stepping in.
Say
Vance is not respected among the Trumpkan/Republican congressional membership. (Trump isn't much respected either, but he's certainly feared--Vance isn't feared even a little bit). If Vance advances to the presidency as a replacement, total Trumpkan/Republican chaos will ensue as those who'd like to be the First American Dictator fight for the position.
In fact: It's possible the contenders won't wait for Trump to falter, not if he starts looking old and vulnerable.
"President-elect Donald J. Trump’s advisers have spent
months trying to identify a disease that will help them build
their case for closing the [southern] border."
NYT
They haven't found a candidate yet, but the hunt is proceeding apace. They only got ten more days before their self-imposed 'first day' deadline.
Well there are all sorts of diseases out there. My local hospital had people lining the hallways.
I vote for bird flu.
In fact: It's possible the contenders won't wait for Trump to falter, not if he starts looking old and vulnerable.
If we are lucky they will cannibalize each other.
I am looking at a photo taken at the funeral service for Jimmy Carter. It shows the Biden's, Harris and her husband, the Clinton's, the Bushes, Obama and the Trump's. All of them have their hands over their hearts except for Trump who appears to have his over his stomach.
Perhaps because he doesn't have one?
W is looking very old. I didn't recognize him.
I was struck by the weight Dubya has gained. (Different picture I suppose.)
TheIrishStar is reporting Putin is considering food rationing as a means of getting a handle on surging inflation in Russia, especially in the food sector. Supposedly a decision on that will be made soon, probably by the coming weekend. (The Irish Star is sometimes chosen as a favored place for some mainstream media types in the Anglo-American journalist community to take their stories when their own publications are just a little leery of publishing on their own pages for one reason or another, but they still don't want to let a rival get the jump on them with the story.)
Apparently Russia is already having problems with...potatoes. As in, there aren't enough to go around. Belarus has limited its exports of potatoes for fear Russia will suck them all up.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been making inroads in the destruction of Russian air assets. So perhaps it is not only potatoes that Russia will be lacking.
I have a bit of trouble believing Putin is going to anything so drastic on the weekend preceding Trump's inauguration. But, The Irish Times does sometimes get hand-me-downs from more famous press sources, so I thought it worth mentioning, even if I'm a bit wary of the story.
And they did name their sources.
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